Charity Sector Overtime: Understanding and Addressing Unpaid Hours
The Charity Insights Canada Project (CICP) surveys charitable organizations weekly to gather valuable insights for stakeholders and policymakers. With an average completion time of just two minutes, our surveys are designed to be quick and easy, encouraging participation. However, crafting concise survey questions, especially on complex topics, is a challenging task.
A recent survey in May asked our panellists whether paid staff were providing any uncompensated overtime hours. We aimed to understand how much unpaid labor is being done by paid staff in charitable organizations, beyond what is compensated through time banking or days off in lieu. Our survey question read: “Do any of your paid staff also provide uncompensated, overtime labour (work without payment or time in lieu) for your organization?” Initially, responses were categorized as ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘Not sure’, and ‘We do not have paid staff’. We discussed some of the results of this survey in a recent blog post.
However, upon reviewing comments from our respondents in more detail, we found some interesting nuances. For example, some who answered ‘No’ mentioned exceptions, like staff volunteering at fundraising events. Conversely, some who answered ‘Yes’ clarified that their organizations offer different forms of time in lieu for overtime hours. Additionally, there were ‘Not sure’ respondents whose comments actually addressed the question.
Based on these clarifications, we’ve completed an adjusted analysis on uncompensated labor among paid staff. If a respondent said ‘Yes’ but noted that all overtime is taken as time in lieu, we changed their response to ‘No’. If someone said ‘No’ but mentioned exceptions, their response was changed to ‘Yes’. Some of the ‘Not sure’ responses were reclassified based on the information provided in the comments. We’ve also added a new category for those who indicated time in lieu was offered but it was unclear if all overtime hours are compensated this way.
| Unpaid Labour Adjusted Responses | % of Total |
| No | 40.5 % |
| Yes | 48.9 % |
| Yes-In lieu offered | 9.1 % |
| Not sure | 1.5 % |
Using this refined analysis, we can update our previous results on the average number of unpaid or potentially compensated in lieu hours per month for entry, mid, and executive levels (see chart below). Across each staff level the average hours of uncompensated labour are higher than our original reported averages, but for charities where in lieu is offered, the average number of hours are lower than initially reported.
| Paid Staff Provide Unpaid Labour | Mean | Median | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Entry-level staff | Yes | 12.61 | 7 | 1 | 103 |
| Yes-In lieu offered | 6.71 | 5 | 1 | 19 | |
| Mid-level staff | Yes | 16.43 | 10 | 1 | 103 |
| Yes-In lieu offered | 14.29 | 10 | 1 | 94 | |
| Executive/senior-level staff | Yes | 36.69 | 21 | 1 | 200 |
| Yes-In lieu offered | 29.03 | 20 | 3 | 200 |
In the same survey, we also asked panellists if they were taking steps to address the issue of unpaid overtime hours. Just over 60% of organizations (where paid staff are providing uncompensated overtime) indicated that they are indeed trying to address this issue. As revealed in the refined results above, some discussed having ‘time off in lieu’ policies or offering flexible work schedules, enabling staff to flex their hours, work from home, or take longer breaks to manage workloads better. Health and wellness initiatives are also mentioned, including “rest weeks” and promoting a healthy work-life balance to support staff well-being.
To further alleviate workload pressures, some organizations are attempting to hire additional staff, including assistants and support staff, or increasing their overall employee numbers to distribute work more evenly. Volunteers also play a crucial role, with many organizations relying on them to support paid staff and reduce uncompensated hours by enhancing volunteer training, recruitment, and utilization.
Compensatory strategies are another method mentioned, such as offering bonuses to compensate for extra hours worked. Management and policy adjustments are also common, including implementing overtime monitoring, setting clear boundaries for working hours, and encouraging staff to stop work when their paid time ends. Improving processes and efficiency is another focus area, with organizations streamlining workflows, implementing new systems, and restructuring processes to reduce the need for overtime hours.
Despite these efforts, challenges and limitations persist. Many panellists discuss funding and budget constraints which make it difficult to fully compensate or alleviate extra hours. In some cases, extra hours are seen as part of the organizational culture or voluntary service, with staff choosing to work additional hours out of a commitment to or passion for the cause.
The complex landscape of unpaid overtime labor in the charitable sector underscores a critical challenge that many organizations are striving to address. Our survey analysis reveals that a significant proportion of paid staff are working uncompensated hours. This highlights the need for ongoing dialogue and innovation in policy and practice within the sector.
As stakeholders and policymakers continue to reflect on these findings, it is essential to prioritize solutions that respect the dedication and hard work of charitable sector employees. By fostering an environment that values fair compensation, we can enhance the overall health and effectiveness of charitable organizations, ensuring that charities are better equipped to achieve their missions while supporting their most valuable asset—their people.
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